The resurgence of these insects in American homes has caused many a sleepless night — but what's fact and what's fiction?

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Fiction:

Bedbugs imply poor hygiene.

Fact:

They don't care if a home is neat or messy, only that people — their food source — are near. There's also no evidence they transmit diseases. The real threat: itchy red bites — and people don't even have that skin reaction, says Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann, Ph.D., an urban entomologist at Cornell University.

Fiction:

If you think you have bedbugs, you probably do.

Fact:

On the contrary, entomologist Richard Pollack, Ph.D., has found fewer than 10% of the critters people identify as bedbugs actually are; that's also why he doesn't trust websites that list reports of bedbugs at hotels.

Fiction:

When one hotel room has them, the whole place is infested.

Fact:

It's not likely. When you check into a room, search the furnishings, particularly along and behind the headboard and sides of the mattress. If you find anything suspicious, ask for another room that is not right next door — bedbugs can crawl through cracks in walls. Still, it's smart to keep suitcases packed, closed, and off the floor, but not on a bed or upholstered furniture. No need to store your belongings in the bathtub or inside a special bedbug bag or plastic garbage bag. After a trip, do the laundry (including what you wore home) ASAP, or just tumble clothes in a hot dryer for a half hour. Leave suitcases in the garage until you can vacuum them.

Fiction:

Traveling is the only way to pick them up.

Fact:

They can easily be carried into the house on secondhand furniture, so inspect such items very carefully. But while reports of bedbugs at movie theaters and in retail stores have made headlines, it's rare that someone brings them home, says Gangloff-Kaufmann.

Fiction:

Bedbug-sniffing dogs are the best way to find the critters.

Fact:

It's hard to know if a dog's training is up to snuff, or even if a pup is just having an off day — and you'll pay $300 to $600 for its services. Bedbug extermination is a serious undertaking and costly — hundreds or thousands of dollars — so it's best not to act until a human pest professional ID's a bona fide bug.

First, inspect your bedroom and furnishings yourself. You can buy ridged saucer-like traps to place beneath bed legs (or wrap legs tightly with double-stick tape) to catch any critters trying to climb up. Send or bring evidence to your local Cooperative Extension office (nifa.usda.gov/Extension; usually $5) or contact an online bug-ID service such as Pollack's IdentifyUS (identify.us.com) for a diagnosis ($20). If you strongly suspect bedbugs, find a reliable pest-control company (read on for how), which may charge up to $500 for an inspection.

Fiction:

Your best line of attack is an over-the-counter spray.

Fact:

Sprays containing essential oils are unlikely to do much. Pyrethroid-based pesticides may kill or repel some bedbugs, but can be dangerous if misused, and — because resistance is one of cause of bugs' resurgence — it's doubtful you'll be successful on your own.

GHRI Bottom Line:

If bedbugs are confirmed, get written quotes from three licensed exterminators detailing the course of action — it should include pesticides, traps, and/or heat treatments — and its safety, including what products will be used, how, and where. Request references, and ask about a warranty should their efforts not be successful.